The Labour Party has published its manifesto today.  Astonishingly, its 136 pages provide not a single concrete action relating to welfare benefits – the issue has been almost entirely airbrushed from the document, leaving disabled claimants with no idea what Labour has in store for them.

The closest thing to an actionable idea relating to benefits is on page 78 of the manifesto, which says:

“Labour is committed to reviewing Universal Credit so that it makes work pay and tackles poverty. We want to end mass dependence on emergency food parcels, which is a moral scar on our society.”

So, a review will take place at some undefined time, but with no hint of whether the intention is to increase or reduce UC for disabled claimants, increase or reduce sanctions or anything else.

The document does say on page 42 that:

“We will tackle the backlog of Access to Work claims and give disabled people the confidence to start working without the fear of an immediate benefit reassessment if it does not work out. We believe the Work Capability Assessment is not working and needs to be reformed or replaced, alongside a proper plan to support disabled people to work.”

 But this tells readers nothing concrete. When will reform or replacement of the WCA happen and what form will it take? It sounds like Labour has no clear ideas on the subject, just a vague aspiration.

There is, though, the obligatory threat on page 42 to people who are not in work but, in the view of the Labour Party, should be:

“Labour will reform employment support so it drives growth and opportunity. Our system will be underpinned by rights and responsibilities – people who can work, should work – and there will be consequences for those who do not fulfil their obligations.”

On child poverty, the document says on page 79:

“Labour will develop an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty. We will work with the voluntary sector, faith organisations, trade unions, business, devolved and local government, and communities to bring about change.”

This suggests that there is no intention to increase benefits payments related to children or to remove the two-child benefit cap introduced by the Tories in 2017, which has been such a driver of child poverty.

Aside from that, there is an undertaking to retain the triple lock for the state pension and a stern warning that Labour “will not tolerate fraud or waste anywhere, whether in social security or the excessive use of consultants”.

And that’s all we could find, please do tell us in the comments section if you discover anything else.

This is a cruel manifesto from the point of view of disabled claimants. 

The Conservatives put in motion some ferociously anti-disabled claimant plans, including moving forward the forced migration to universal credit, making the WCA harder to pass, consulting on replacing PIP with vouchers and spying on bank accounts.

But it will be Labour, not the Conservatives, who are virtually certain to be in charge of claimants’ fate after the election. 

Labour’s decision to give no hint of which Tory plans they will reject and which they will adopt will leave many claimants in a state of real distress for weeks to come.

You can download the Labour Party manifesto from this link.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    So scared that Labour will take my PIP away, it allows me to work part time and function with MS etc. Vouchers won't pay my rent etc
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 5 months ago
      @Gabbie i ask my locale mp for lab  about it and there scraping the idea of vouchers  and  stopping dwp look into bank acounts he said they would not do what the torries do andbenfits stay the same every month
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    Typical Labour they don’t tell you anything. They will be exactly like the tories and hit the least well off but won’t tell you until after the election.
    I admit I have voted for the Conservatives all my life mainly because there has been no real opposition. However we need a change after 14 years but who is up to providing this change. After reading all the manifestos and listening to all the debates I am at a loss as to what the answer is. I want a change but don’t think (Mr flip flop) Starmer is the answer.
    Oh don’t forget is Dad was a toolmaker
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    Labour will say anything, depending on the way the wind is blowing. They used to b e the 'summat for nowt' Party but have learned the necessity of being populist.
    Don't expect anything from them!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 5 months ago
      @Colin Moorcroft No party can afford to be a “summat for nowt” party. The Tories have wrecked the economy any beneficial changes will take time
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    I think Labour's manifesto is ok it can’t say how much money they will have to fix things cos has made a complete cock up of everything and a better Labour force will need to be created so that the economy will grow and then find out how much money is being made to accomplish the things that need to be done
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    I am really concerned about the future of PIP under both future Conservative and Labour governments. PIP offers a lifeline to disabled people and it would be catastrophic to those who rely on it if it is reduced or altered in a negative way. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 5 months ago
      @Jay Harold i ask my lab mp and he said the tories plans for it will be scraped and scraping looking at peoples bank
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    I pray labour will be more compassionate towards disabled and welfare benefits. The whole system makes me sick. I have autism, PTSD, depression & anxiety. I have daily support. I’m in esa support group, I’m terrified of going onto UC being forced back to work or benefit cuts makes me feel suicidal. I will vote labour as I can’t bare another 5yrs of tories 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    Labour are nothing but Tories in Red coats. 
    What we really need is change. MPs or members of the House of Lords. Found to be guilty of theft of public money, should face the same rules, as benefits fraudsters. 
    I have battled health issues for more than 10 years. No matter how much I try. I’m not going to suddenly get better and run around the block. 
    Never going to happen. I have added to my disability. I have sarcoidosis it is not the easiest to go through. It will take up to three years to cure or kill. Although I don’t feel I get the truth. But the unspoken truth is there. Worst is the AZ vaccine seems to be the cause. There have been a number of cases attached to it. But our Tory government, with Labour passed a full indemnity. I can claim, but someone would need proof, there is no doctor in this country that would go against the government. All I can do is wait for the other court cases to be won. Then put in my claim. But even if I get £120000, I am supposed to put it in trust. Or loose all my benefits. Really? What for. I should be able to live and do a few things. I might have 2-3 years
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 5 months ago
      @Keith Farrell All tied to the same brush . One thing for sure this government needs to go as it is clearly picking on the disabled and complex needs how can they dictate or anyone in fact on there health only ones who can do that are the professionals like GPS ect . 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    Clearly Labour do not intend to change any of the Conservative policies and proposed changes. I don’t trust Starmer and Reeves as far as I could throw them. It will be a chorus of ‘ but they did it not us!’
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    As they seem to be staying quiet on a good many issues so that they don't upset the apple cart and effect their poll rating, I shall not be voting Labour. Starmer flipflops on most everything and I can't trust a word he says
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    I'm concerned about Labour's limited response to disability benefits. If a voucher system for PIP was implemented there would be chaos; people with neuro diverse disabilities, mental health could lose out with such a scheme. PIP is not necessarily about purchases, disabled people who have gone through the stress of assessment  should be able to spend PIP anyway they choose to enhance the quality of their lives. Physically disabled people with high costs might be told to pay more of their bills using PIP vouchers. As usual the disabled are discredited to the public as fraudsters and cheats when there is a general election.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 5 months ago
      @Zenele If any government went down that road there would indeed be chaos and protest and I would join them
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    Labour have no comment on anything, people must be mad to give them their vote.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    Sadly it would appear that they will be establishing the next government and I fear they will raise taxes in areas that will affect everyone. I believe they will reduce benefits to those in need. We must remember when they left government they left a letter for the conservatives to say we have spent all the money there is nothing on the safe.

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    I have been my disabled wife's CARER for forty years.
    As usual the conservatives are up to there usual threats and bullying, but Labour are saying nothing.
    Like most CARERS i struggle with mental health - i am CLINACLY DEPRESSED ANXIETY.
    THIS SILENCE IS NOT HELPING (DISABLED and CARERS) AT ALL.
    I feel like most CARERS and DISABLED
        WE HAVE BEEN ABANDONED AND THROWN TO THE DOGS

             !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 5 months ago
    Just as alarming as Conservatives and no better, in fact very scary and secretive. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 6 months ago
    At 42:50 Rachel Reeves speaks to a caller asking if she plans to get rid of PIP. This was just a month ago on LBC. You can watch here and forward to the right part. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 6 months ago
    I have emailed facebooked and twitter to my mp Lillian greenwood to ask why is there policy for disabled people and pi and other benefits 3 mo the on still no response I emailed again last week and as they are in election mode you think they would have the common sense to answer especially as I stated the many thousands of labour disabled people who have a vote would most likely not vote for them anymore if they are dishonest about there intentions still no reply so my gut feeling is it's not looking good for us 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 6 months ago
    I think Labour are just trying to get elected and avoiding certain topics.  That doesn't mean they won't be fairer.  I definitely think they will be better than the current Conservative Government (and they did mention not using private companies for health matters).  I will be voting for labour because they are the only real option if you don't want the Conservatives any more.  Depending on where you live as tactical voting is an idea as well.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 6 months ago
    very worrying...
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 6 months ago
    I've sent the following email to the local candidate canvassing to be our labour MP and to an email address of somebody helping to run the labour campaign.  I don't know if it will be read or do any good......

    Dear Labour party representatives

    I am writing this email to ask if you can please make clearer your views on reforms to disability benefits and how this will be taken forward by labour? Disability forums are full of people in abject fear of what is to come. Its hard enough living with these disabilities and this insecurity day in day out but having total uncertainty of where labour stands is making it's almost impossible to decide how to vote.

    Please also see my submission to the green paper about the proposed PIP reforms below.

    I think one of the main things to consider from this submission is that there is such a large underlying scandal behind the abuses of the DWP that if this fully comes to light it could easily compete with the post office and blood scandals. I think the next government should be incredibly careful with the reforms to not push us to the point of mass litigation against the abuses already acknowledged as traumatic and needing redress by the UN. The proposed PIP and ESA reforms would be the last straw for many of us pushing us to this.

    I'd be grateful if somebody can consider responding to this email.

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 6 months ago
    Labour will give sweeteners to help Disabled / Sick people attempt some kind of low level employment because then they will be able to turn around and say we got X amount of Disabled / Sick people back into employment and then laugh at the opposition.

    Under the last Labour government I was given £250 one of payment to go back into employment.  £40 a week for a year.  Plus I can't remember how much it was but the Disabled Element of Tax Credits (hopefully something like this could be implemented into UC).  It didn't work out and I just went back to my original sick benefits without any hassle.

    They can hardly publish such a giveaway in their manifesto.  Perhaps they won't be so generous who knows but I really can't see them being any worse than what the Tories are saying.

    I really don't feel a massive amount of fear with an incoming Labour government.  Nothing compared to how the Tories have made me feel for a very long time.

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